Deverim City. Cyrek. Tarsas Sub-Sector. Segmentum Tempestus. .997 M41

Dovah watched the various Imperial troops move out below. He spotted the Valhallans of the reinforcement fleet alongside troops in the grey and gold of the Volpone Bluebloods 22nd. He spotted the navy blue plate of the Howling Sword Sororitas as well.

The Salamander Librarian of course was familiar with the reputations of them all. He knew well of Esin's personal Sororitas Order that had been mustered for the war against Leviathan. He was also familiar with the reputation of the Volpone, aristocratic shock troops from the Sabbat Worlds. He had heard Vandius on more than one occasion praise them for their skill.

It had been well over since the reinforcement fleet had first arrived. For several days the Imperial forces had been busied in constant counterattacks against the Tyranids. Neptune and Esin led them in the field, the various Astartes forming the speartip of the thrust that tore out the heart of the Tyranid swarms.

Losses were heavy, but the Imperium triumphed, wiping out most of the groundside swarms and pushing them back. Gladius had been almost constantly engaged on the front lines for much of that week.

Dovah caught some snow in one of his silver gauntlets and looked it over. He supposed he would never get used to extreme winters like this. Nocturne had its winters true, but now snowing constantly at the time like this. Perhaps the Space Wolves in the Silver Knights contingent felt more at home.

''Look, some more of our brothers,'' Khaden pointed out at some of the hulking Astartes forms.

''Genesis Chapter, you remember Tullius's bunch?'' Nicander remarked.

Dovah himself was well aware of the Genesis Chapter's reputation even before he had actually encountered them. He knew they were a rather proud bunch, being first of the Second Founding Chapters to be commissioned and especially close to their progenitors. Vandius of course had been pleased to see them there.

The White Scars of course everyone knew well. Both they and the Howling Sword had to actually modify their usual bikes for the snowy terrain of Cyrek. Fortunately the Mechanicus had a variety of snow-terrain combat vehicles.

Dovah himself was only casually acquainted with the Iron Champions. He knew they were a Third Founding Imperial Fist successor that operated in a crusading fleet. Three companies were present at Cyrek.

''Oh, a Contemptor-class Dreadnought,'' Khaden peered out to see the ancient forms of a crimson and gold Genesis Chapter dreadnought move around. ''I do wonder if Tullius will let me have a closer look?''

''You could pull favors if you want,'' Nicander suggested.

''Already on my mind,' Khaden said as he walked down to winding staircase.

Privately Dovah was more fascinated by the crystalline towers of Cyrek. This world had been colonized four millennia ago by traders at Hydraphur. They had discovered vast mineral resources beneath the frozen surface and then established trading pacts with the Mechanicus.

Nocturne had similar crystal deposits, but the turbulent nature of the death world made it impossible to create these kinds of delicate, elegant structures. Even he had to admire the beauty of these various towers, Amphithoe probably did as well.

''Something on your mind brother?'' Nicander asked.

''Nothing, just the towers are rather strange to see.'' Dovah told him.

''If you think this is beautiful I have to tell you about Chemos…''

{oOo}

Reverim was simply glorious in the sunset. Amphithoe watched the crystal towers glitter crimson as the rays of the sun disappeared over the horizon. The effect it had on Cyrek's unique architecture was simply stunning. It was almost like seeing some of the wonders of Chemos after the Emperor had arrived and the people of Fulgrim's homeworld finally had the surplus resources to research art.

''I knew you would like it,'' Esin told her.

They were in one of Reverim's towers in one of the viewing rooms that the nobility often used. After the last battle Amphithoe had only paused to clean herself of the Tyranid gore that she unfortunately was covered in before meeting with her lover.

After a few hours of briefing with the various Imperial officers, Esin had taken her on a tour through the halls of the Reverim Palace. They had walked through marbled halls with gold leaf trim and had viewed galleries of crystal statues and many more wonders.

Amphithoe enjoyed it most of all. She had never visited Cyrek before, but even she had heard of its wonders. This was a special experience. It would be a horrible crime to let the Tyranids devour this place like a horde of locusts.

''Thank you, this is very beautiful,'' Amphithoe leaned into her shoulder. She hadn't seen her lover for five months since the deployment here. The most contact they had was astropathic communication since then. A long-distance relationship was tough on them both.

''I'd think I'd like to visit here after the war is done. I think Fulgrim would appreciate this place.'' Amphithoe commented.

''Perhaps in peacetime.'' Esin said as she spotted a flight of Valkyires swooping over the Horizon.

There was a knock on the door.

''Come in,'' she said. The door opened. It was Vandius.

''I apologize milady, but Codicer Aktar has begged to see you. He has some urgent claims,'' The Captain told her.

''Send him in then,'' said Esin.

"Codicer Aktar was a Thousand Son who was part of Amphithoe's strike force. A silver giant clad in blue robes over his power armor, he was covered in cult tattoos that twisted across his neck and temples. He had his helm carried at his side, allowing Amphithoe to note that his tanned features were flushed with sweat."

''What is so important that you have to see me immediately?'' Amphithoe asked, somewhat irritated, although she did not show it.

''I have received visions milady. My gifts showed me sights of a fearsome foe,'' Aktar told her. Amphithoe recalled that he was Corvidae.

''What kind of visions?'' Esin asked.

''Death. Skeletons in the darkness. I saw an army of death below,'' Aktar told her.

''It sounded like Necrons Lady Esin, I cross-checked our threat recognition database to be sure,'' Vandius cut in.

Necrons. An uneasy cold feeling settled in the pit of her stomach. A tomb world was here? On Cyrek? It didn't seem possible, but if that was true then this was not good news at all. She pulled out her mirror and looked into it.

Mist seemed to swirl across the surface briefly before it revealed shadowy figures, as if obscured by some sort of veil. Amphithoe pressed deeper and deeper, eventually the figures became clearer and clearer.

Necrons. Metal skeletons. She saw hundreds of them easily. Many carried long bladed gauss rifles. On each chest they had some sort of strange xenos rune that glowed faintly from her mirror. In all the sheer number of them was disturbing.

''How can they escape the notice of the Cyrekians?'' asked Esin.

''Perhaps xenos technology or they had only recently awoken,'' Vandius suggested.

''We are lucky to have caught them as we did. If only I had been here sooner….'' Amphithoe trained off before shaking her head. ''Never mind that. We have much to prepare for.''

{oOo}

Valhallan Guardsmen grunted and groaned in effort as they shouldered equipment in one of Cyrek's loading bays. Servitors, Munitorum personnel and chapter serfs all moved in a frenzy of activity to unload equipment.

A figure in gold and grey carapace plate looked over disapprovingly as a group of greatcoated Valhallan Guardsmen shuffled bags of grenades into a loading area. He walked over, a swagger stick in hand.

''What in Serenity's name are you doing here?'' demanded Major Hash Varsep of the Volpone Blueboods. He looked disdainfully at the sweating Guardsmen.

''We're unloading equipment sir, the docking order said we could use this place,'' The Valhallan nearest to him said.

''I don't care,'' Behind the Major came up several more Volpone stormtroopers. All of them big men. ''We of the Volpone don't need you befouling our area. This is our hanger and our territory peasant.'' He spat out.

''So you're in charge here?'' a voice said lazily behind him. The Volpone whirled around to see a massive black-armored Terminator look at them, his face obscured with a rebreather unit. Hash Varsep was a big, tough man, a boxer on Volpone, standing at six foot ten easily, but this brute of an Astartes made him look like an underfed child be comparison.

''Y-yes,'' The Volpone said slowly. The nobleman was not expecting one of the Adeptus Astartes just yet. The giant cocked his head.

''Do you feel in charge?'' he asked.

''I-I-''

''Get out,'' The Terminator commanded. The Volpone wisely took his advice.

There was a clapping sound as Cestus walked over, his armor freshly cleaned and repaired, having been polished to a bright mirror sheen. ''Bravo Bane, bravo. I would have intervened myself but it looks like you got there yourself.''

The Night Lord glanced in his direction. ''The Volpone are too arrogant for their own good. I sought to deflate that, nothing more. But I'm glad I get a chance to see you in person again, Cestus.''

''It's always an honor to meet you again Bane, did you want a sparring match?''

''Perhaps. I actually was extending my offer to you once again,'' he said.

''I would have to refuse again then, Gladius has been good for me,'' Cestus said.

Bane shrugged, an odd gesture given his massive bulk. ''Fair enough my friend. I heard you killed the Swarmlord, is that true?'' he asked. The Knight-Sergant hardly had a chance to actually have a proper conversation with Cestus in well over a week.

''Yes, I did, I would have mounted the head on the Pegasus's trophy room, but I was forced to give it Ordo Xenos for study,'' Cestus lamented.

''A pity, it would have made a fine trophy. I would have liked to break the Swarmlord myself,'' Bane said wistfully. Cestus had no doubt that Bane could have done that. The man was death incarnate.

''Well, with any luck it might show up here…well not luck per say, obviously everyone wants the Swarmlord to stay dead, but you get my meaning,'' The Consul told him.

''We shall see how the fight turns out.''

''I would not be worried. We have two Senshi and near Chapter-strength forces now. The Tyranids took a heavy beating today. The rest of this war here should be easier from now on…''

{oOo}

Below, hundreds of miles beneath the surface, as if in response to Cestus's words, thousands of gleaming silver skeletons waited. Each of them held an emerald gauss rifle at readiness, their glowing green eyes staring pitilessly into the darkness.

A bronze-plated Cryptek knelt before a single figure who was accompanied by a group of silver-white lords and bodyguards. He swept back his emerald vestments to point to a shimmering hologram at the top of the ziggurat.

''My lord, the organic vermin have grown in number on the human side, but they both continue to tear themselves apart,'' The Cryptek said quietly.

The Black Phaeron stood silently. His armor was the color of jet, save for a single gold crown worked into his grinning skull helm-face. He clutched an ornate halberd with both metal hands, spinning it idly as he did so.

The Black Phaeron a name once, all those millions and millions of years ago. He only went with a single title now. He had been fortunate that his tomb world had largely escaped the deterioration and madness that had troubled so many others.

Before him, tens of thousands of Warriors and Immortals stood. He had squads of Deathmarks and packs of Flayed Ones. He had countless ghostly Wraiths and an entire fleet of Monoliths. Before him stood the vanguard of his army, ready and primed for full-scale war.

''Is the rest of my force prepared?'' the Tyrant said. His voice was deathly quiet, like that of the grave.

''Yes great one.''

The Black Phaeron was silent again as he stared out into the image of the strange human female. She had power, very much power. The Tyrant was arrogant, but not stupid, this human female would have to be approached carefully.

''Prepare the Shard.''

''Yes my lord.''

The Phaeron looked back over his army. Millions and millions of the mortal vermin crawled over his throne world, infesting it with their disgusting mortality, but he had hundreds of thousands of warriors about to be awoken. It was an entire army as merciless and unstoppable as a tsunami.

''Prepare to attack.''

{oOo}